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National Employment Services Association
National Employment Services Association Limited (NESA) http://[www.nesa.com.au] Brief Overview NESA is an industry association focussed on helping Australia to meet its current and future employment challenges. The Association is dedicated to the development and improvement of the employment and related services industry, and in finding sustainable solutions to unemployment and increasing workforce participation rates.

NESA was established in October 1997 (following the privatisation of the Commonwealth Employment Service) and is now the leading, influential body representing organisations and individuals who are directly engaged in the delivery of Government contracted employment and related services to employers and job seekers. In May 2008 the Australian Government announced it would be introducing a new, simpler and more effective national employment services system. This new system will be launched on 1 July 2009, and will replace the existing Job Network, an outdated system.

NESA’s members are focused on the job seeker’s needs, and helping employers to find the right person for the job.NESA has around 150 members comprising for-profit, not-for-profit and some public agencies. Members deliver a range of federal, state and local government funded employment and related programmes including services under Job Services Australia, Indigenous Employment services and Disability Employment services. Members range in size from small agencies operating single sites in local communities, to large organisations with multi-site operations across Australia. Members also represent a diverse geographical base with operations from major metropolitan and regional centres through to operations in remote and rural communities.

On behalf of its membership, NESA works with the Australian Government, [www.australia.gov.au] employers and others to achieve improvements in the development of employment and related services to Australian job seekers, particularly those who are disadvantaged and face challenges to joining the workforce or increasing their levels of participation.

NESA provides members with a voice in key decisions taken by Government that impact on the industry, as well as providing member support via advocacy, policy development and advice, member services, information, education and training, along with practice and professional development. NESA regularly consults with its members to represent and advocate their interests to government and other stakeholders.